Swanage Railway praised by Transport Minister

Transport Minister Lord Andrew Adonis has praised the award-winning Swanage Railway – and pledged to help it with working towards resignalling work so a permanent train service can be re-instated from Wareham.

The fact-finding visit to the Swanage Railway, organised by South Dorset MP and Schools Minister Jim Knight, took place on 14 April 2009, just two weeks after the first train ran from London to Swanage since the line was closed by British Rail in January, 1972.

Describing the 37-year old plans to re-open the rail link as “highly credible”, backing for the project from Lord Adonis came during a whistle-stop visit to the volunteer-run Swanage Railway – which has been rebuilt from nothing since 1976 – during a five-day tour of Britain’s railways.

The Transport Minister said that he would be holding a meeting to discuss the financing and time scales of re-signalling work at Worgret Junction – as part of Network Rail’s Poole to Wool signalling renewal scheme – to accommodate a regular train service between Wareham, Corfe Castle d Swanage.

After his visit, Lord Adonis described the Swanage Railway as being a “large, enthusiastic and highly professional team”.
Clearly delighted with his visit to the Swanage Railway’s re-laid Purbeck Line, Lord Adonis said: “I have had a great trip. The key issue is the re-signalling and whether it’s going to be possible.

“I have undertaken to host a meeting at the Department for Transport with all parties – including Jim Knight, the local authority, the Regional Development Agency and Network Rail once detailed costings have been obtained to see if we can fund the work so that re-signalling can take place.”

Lord Adonis added that he was keen to see whether the potential of a Swanage Railway linked to the national railway network so a permanent train service could be run from Wareham could be explored.

The Transport Minister also praised the Swanage Railway for not only its heritage steam operation but also its community service which he described as, “An excellent public service highly appreciated by the community.”

Swanage Railway chairman Mike Whitwam said: “The visit by Lord Adonis was very positive – he said that he would explore how we could fully reopen the rail link from Wareham to Swanage with a daily train service.

“The visit was a significant step forward towards achieving that long-held ambition which dates back to 1972 when British Rail closed and lifted the line.

“We were delighted that Lord Adonis took time out of his hectic tour of Britain’s railway system to come to Swanage and we are also grateful to South Dorset MP Jim Knight and Lord Faulkner for their help and interest in our project and aspirations,” explained Mr Whitwam.